Do you remember your high school job when you were 18 years old? Ever dream of running your own restaurant?
Meet Jonathan Macedo, the 18-year-old owner of Peke’s Pozole in Chicago's Archer Heights neighborhood.
Macedo's family started selling food out of their house when he was 12, and when he turned 15, they opened Peke's Pozole at 4720 S. Pulaski Road. Macedo said he immediately started helping out, and it quickly became clear he knew was he was doing.
"I was really good at being in charge," he said. "I’m very picky and good with details, so I’m a good boss. At 18 it was natural for my parents to hand over the business to me. My mom is still involved, but she makes me do most of the work now."
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Macedo is enrolled at DePaul University and already taking business classes. He credits the restaurant's team, as well as the power of Zoom for school, to multitask in stride.
"We’re lucky to have 12 great employees, so many days I’m just there for quality control and to make sure things run smoothly," he said.
He attends classes from his office so he can go to school and keep an eye on the business.
Chicago Today
"Zooming for school really helped me," Macedo said. "Instead of being in a hallway between classes, I can run out onto the floor of the restaurant to make sure things are running smoothly."
